By Muslim Mirror Desk
New Delhi: Reacting to the media reports that the government of India would withdraw its earlier stand in court on Jamia Millia Islamia’s (JMI) minority status, the All India Muslim Majlis e Mushawarat (Apex Body of Indian Muslims & Confederation of 18 prominent Muslim Organisations) Wednesday said it exposes the “hollowness” of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet credo ‘sab ka vikaas and sab ka saath’. Mushawarat warned it would oppose tooth and nail any attempts to tinker with this historic institution’s ‘character’.
Mushawarat president Navaid Hamid condemned the attempts by the HRD Ministry to do away the minority status of the Jamia Millia asserting that the institution’s historic character was duly restored by the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, which is a statutory competent authority and its verdict was respected by the previous UPA government in the Court of Law.
Such attempts not only totally negate but also exposed the hollowness of the avowed slogan of the Government led by PM Narendra Modi that there should be ‘sab ka vikaas and sab ka saath’, he said.
According to the media reports, The Human Resource Development Ministry of GOI is to file a fresh affidavit in the writ petitions pending with the Delhi High Court, stating that its support for the order of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) on February 22, 2011, declaring JMI a religious minority institution, was an error in its understanding of the legal position.
Hamid also lambasted the Jamia authorities for laxity on their part as no counsel from the institution appeared in the court which held hearing on March 3.
“What is more surprising, as is evident from order dated 13.3.2018, that NO COUNSEL advocate appeared for and on behalf of the Jamia Milia Islamia to espouse the cause of its minority status resulting an adverse order being so passed.”
Such negligence, whether motivated or coincidental, is seriously culpable that an issue of paramount importance relating to a Muslim minority institution was dealt with so casually, he said.
Mushawarat asked an immediate explanation from the Vice Chancellor and the registrar as how the administration failed to appear and pursue the matter in the court.
He alleged that the VC wants to please the ruling party to curry favour from the government after retirement.
“It is a known fact that the vice chancellor of the Jamia is to retire within a period of one year, he may be exploiting such opportunities to please the ruling party in power to secure future plump postings at the expense of the future of the Muslim community.”
The Mushawarat apprehends that the vested elements may compromise the cause this historic institution and therefore, it has decided to intervene in the matter in the larger interest of minority education and also for safeguarding the minority status of the Jamia Millia Islamia.
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Please read my comment below on JM and Modi’s emphasis on picking minor “deflecting”, “vote earning”, PR set up side issues ignoring the crux of the problem.